How to Say Goodbye
by silverfoxninja
Summary: Varon stumbles upon a xenophobic community and only one girl was brave enough to save his life, which eventually leads to an adventure within the family as they learn to accept the tenacious teen as their own. Varon and Neve fiction crossover


How to Say Goodbye

The Swiss Alps offered the cold of the coming winter to any traveler that dared to brave her majestic peaks. The snow-covered mountains revealed her beauty to the young rider as if allowing him to embrace her with his eyes. He soaked in the beauty with awe and wonder before he set out on his ride toward the base of the mountain. It was nearing sunset, and he still had a lot of ground to cover.

The baby blue eyes of the young rider atop his motorcycle is all that could be seen behind the goggles. The rest of his face was covered with the wind guard to block out the cold and biting winds of the Alps as he traveled on. The twilight was giving way to the night, and he had to stop soon. The sunset made the mountains appear as if they were on fire. Orange, pink, red and purple hues overwhelmed the young rider's senses, nearly hypnotizing him in her majestic robes. The winding and narrow roads had no lighting save for what his vehicle could provide, and that was not enough to offer safety from the animals that would jump from the brush and onto the roads.

The road began to look like a ribbon through the darker ground. He had to put some distance onto the mountain and soon, lest he were to lose his window. He had started his descent ten minutes ago. He knew his quest was a futile one but a noble one in his eyes. He wanted to know that somewhere he had a home. When he as a baby, he was left at the orphanage to be passed from home to home; the only clues he had were a letter and a ring. His quest led him all over Europe. He was no closer now than he was when he first started his personal quest. Everywhere he went, every place he went to… nothing. He never gave up. He traveled on with a burning fire of determination, and his eyes showed it.

The ground would blend together soon. He had no other choice but to find a place to stop and rest for the night. He slowed down his 1998 Honda Interceptor VFR-800FI long enough to spot a faint light in the distance from his vantage point near the top of the winding road that lead down the mountain path just barely wide enough for a car. This path he traveled on was once and still used by carts to sell and trade goods to the neighboring villages on the other side of the mountain from whence he came. This was the only road that he could use to travel to the next town, or so he was told. To make certain that it wasn't the goggles that picked up the reflection, he lifted them off his eyes and placed them atop his helmet. His striking blue eyes that matched the daytime sky pierced the twilight. True to his good vision, there was a faint light of a cabin in the distance at the base of the mountain. He would stop there to rest.

……

Inside the cabin, a family had begun to eat their dinner. The rustic and old-fashioned designs matched the family clad in classic clothing of browns, khaki, tans, greens, and reds. Around the table sat the father, Donato Aurum, and his family – some were his children, some his children's children. Three generations under one roof. His wife, Roesli, a pudgy but hardworking woman with aging beauty and a sparkle of light in her eyes that offered peace to those that came in contact with her. Her eldest son, Aidan, strong and bold, sat at the right of his father, across from his mother. His wife, Heidi, sat next to him and their two sons, Blod and Drostan. Next to the youngest son of Aidan was Theo and his wife also named Heidi, along with his daughter, Hiordi, sat opposite to Aidan and his family. Franz, a man in his late twenties and still appearing to be in his teens, his wife, Cora, and his toddler son Clavo sat atop his mother's lap, grabbing at anything and everything that his little hands can reach. A bachelor in his mid-twenties sat just below Franz's family, and at the end of the table, sat Neve.

Neve was the youngest daughter - a young Swiss girl about the age of 17. She sat quietly, mulling over the questions that she wanted to ask her brother, Goth, who happened to be visiting from America. There he was a physical anthropologist; here he was just the same as everyone else, or so he tried to be. A lot of questions ran through her mind about a festival that was still a whole season away, but she dared not to speak out of fear that she may hurt her family's feelings. They already had their harvest festival, and at the end of each festival, Neve yearned and dreamed about the next one to come. She knew that her family would not join in on the Winter Festival in the neighboring valley this year, due to poor finances. That was fine with her, because the Winter Festival was scary! So, she looked forward to her favorite one: the Spring Festival.

In her culture, the Spring Festival was the time where men and women gathered to celebrate spring, and it's also the time of year where maidens were chosen to become brides. So far, she had plenty of suitors, but only one that held her interest - and even he was chased off by her brother, Goth, on the first day he had arrived to visit them for the winter. She remembered clearly the words he spoke to the young man. She fell into her thoughts, remembering that day as the family continued their conversation around the dinner table.

_"It's going to be the dead of winter soon, and you want to take my sister as your bride? How will you keep her warm? How will you keep her safe?"_

_The young man, Hans, stammered his words. She looked out the window with a smile at the sight of her suitor, but smiles soon faded when Hans couldn't stand up to her own brother. He failed the test and miserably. She gently pulled away from the window with tears in her eyes. She lost her chance at finding love and at finding a meaning in her life. Worst of all, she failed her dream. Her knight would never come and she began to feel alone. She watched with sad eyes as Hans fell onto the snow, scrambled up to his feet and ran off into the night. That was the last time she ever saw or heard from Hans._

She sighed at the memory. With Goth as her brother and constant protector, she feared that she would never marry. She placed her utensils down and excused herself from the table. Not many paid attention to the quiet girl except for Goth and Audri. She decided to get some fresh air. Her mother looked up at her in confusion. Sensing this, Neve spoke softly, "I just want to see the stars."

Roesli simply nodded at her youngest daughter's statement and returned to her conversation that was going on at the dinner table. Her thoughts drifted to what she was like at her age. She married at 15, so she wasn't familiar with the thoughts going through Neve's mind.

"Why the look?" Donato asked Roesli. He had a strange feeling that he knew what was going through his wife's mind.

"It's nothing." She shook her head, hoping that Neve would find her place and soon. This festival was the last chance for Neve's future. Next year, she could be viewed too old and might be rejected. Her heart sank to the floor at the thought that her youngest daughter would become a spinster like her brother, Goth. "I'm not very hungry," Roesli smiled sweetly to her husband, hiding her pain and very well.

Roesli sighed internally, but her husband knew her too well. "We have to think of what's best for Neve. The festival would be a good place for her." Donato placed a comforting hand on his wife's back, rubbing in circles, smiling warmly. "We can't continue to baby her. This isn't about what she wants anymore. It's about her future and her place in the world. We protected her for far too long."

Donato looked at his wife as Roesli gave him a smile. "Her dreams are too lofty. She constantly has her head in the clouds. It's time she learned how to take care of a home. You're right."

…..

Neve leaned on the rough wooden rails surrounding her brother's foothill cabin. The cool evening air pierced through her pink woven shawl, but the many layers of clothing offered her significant warmth against the chill. She looked over her shoulder. Her long blonde locks flowed behind her like a silken cape when she caught a glimpse of a moving star in the distance and traveling down the mountain._ Could it be that my wish will come true? I have to catch that star._ She looked back at the cabin, heard the remnants of a heated discussion, and she decided that she'll go as far as the post. If the star doesn't come to her, then she'll go back. She was never the adventurous type, but she did believe in magic. Her heart began to race as soon as she took her first step off the porch.

With each step she took, her heart began to race. She didn't know what to expect from this approaching star, and she wasn't about to let it go. She wanted to see what the star would bring her this night. Most other nights, the stars never brought her anything but heartache and passing trucks which ended up in her own loneliness. She was barely a quarter of the way from the cabin and she wanted to see this star for sure. She kept her bright, periwinkle blue eyes fixed on the mountain side where this star was traveling from. Why a star would be on the mountain was her guess. She had never seen anyone travel at night on the cow path - much less a vehicle.

……

Night was falling quickly as the sun hid behind the mountains and settled in her blanket to close her eyes. Varon had become increasingly weary, concentrating on the road ahead. The path he chose had become difficult to navigate, and his eyes had begun to lose focus due to fatigue. He had to stop, but where? He lost sight of the cabin and he wasn't sure that he had missed it. "Well, I can' gao back. Too risky t' chuck a ewey on these narraow streets an' I can't see a bloody thing. Gah. Think Varon, think."

A rabbit jumped in his path, and he nearly had lost control from being startled. He swerved the bike deftly, killed the ignition just in time to prevent his bike form hitting a tree that came up on him and fast. "Whewey, tha' was claose." He looked at the tree briefly, and if trees had noses, he would have been nose to nose with it. The front tire of his bike was mere inches from the thick stalk. He closed his eyes, caught his breath for a moment, restarted the yellow motorcycle and rode off carefully. "Stupid bunny-broains rabbit, ce'tainly woke me up from La la Land. I'd thank th' li'l bloke, bu' I think I'll eat 'im straight off," he snarled.

He continued his trek downward. It was only a matter of time that he would be where he needed to be. His goal was the base of the mountain. If he couldn't find shelter in the cabin, he could at least camp out on the clearing. Anywhere was fine with him as long as the ground was flat.

……

Periwinkle eyes fixed on the mountain, her heart raced with each step. Neve's star was approaching closer. She had a feeling this is the star that's going to take her from this place. She loved her family dearly, but she wanted more in her life. She saw her dreams of traveling and living abroad. She felt her life take on a whole new meaning and at the same time she was scared of the outcome. She never felt this way before with any of the other stars - just this one. She stopped to look up at the night sky, comparing those stars to this bright one approaching. When she looked back to the mountain, the star was gone. She squinted to see if she could find it again. After five minutes… nothing. After ten minutes… nothing. She began to fear the worst. Dejected and lonely again, she turned her back to the mountain and headed off toward her brother's home.

She remembered her father telling her stories of wolves and dragons that lived in the mountain and would come out at night to devour the innocent souls that would wander into the night alone. She wondered if this bright star that she saw on the mountain was the knight that slain the dragon and came to seek his bride. She wondered if he was just as shy as she was and had hidden when he had seen her running.

Neve was nearing the house when she decided to peek over her shoulder and she saw her star again. Her heart soared._ I knew it! It didn't leave me. It just got a little lost. I'll wait for you to come._Her thoughts sang to her as if the star could actually hear her inner voice. Her fantasies always took her to other worlds away from her humble home. Her dreams of being rescued by a soldier in red wearing the white bandoleers that crossed over his broad chest, black shining boots and sword on his side, with shining eyes played in her imaginings over and over again. She had to see with her own eyes if this "star" carried her visions into reality. She waited on the porch for her star to come. Walking all the way out to the posts would be tiring in the cold, and she wasn't up for the disappointment should her star disappear again. She smiled blissfully to herself as the fantasy played out in her mind's eye.

……

Baby blue eyes focused, stern, and fixed on the road ahead, alert on the journey down this mountain, hands and feet shifting gears, Varon kept the bike from going down too fast on these narrow, unpaved paths. This stretch was taking him longer than he would have liked. During the daylight hours, he would have zipped through this in nothing flat, but the dusk was when things often got tricky especially when there were no lights to aid in vision. This was a mental test for this 17 year-old biker. He pushed himself to his limits and he wasn't about to stop now. Wide awake from the adrenaline rush from the near miss with the rabbit, he pressed on. Determined to get this leg of the journey over with and eager to rest so he could continue his quest the following day, he wondered if it was a good idea to continue when he should have stayed at the last town. If only he spoke the language. . .

"DAMMIT!" He cried out into the night. Of all the things that could possibly happen, a flat tire stopped him cold. He fumbled around in the dark through his saddlebags, rifling and sifting through all the things he had in there to look for a flashlight, the can of Fix-A-Flat, and his pressure guage. His mind had become fogged with anger that this set-back had to happen. Now it's going to be near midnight before he could rest. It was too risky to stay here on the mountain with no light and there was no telling if there was anyone else on the road so he had to act fast. He cursed his adventurous spirit. Camping wasn't an option since there was no room to pitch the small pup tent nor was it safe due to the steepness of the mountainside. If he rolled over he would plummet to his death. He didn't even want to think about that. He needed to rest and soon, but not here.

Elated that he found the flashlight first by yelling out, "Ah ha!" he set to work immediately on finding the can of Fix-A-Flat and the tire gage. After two minutes of searching, he found the items he was looking for and set to work on the deflated tire. He completed his task in less than five minutes and he was on the road again. This time, he'll run over the rabbit if it tried to knock him off the road. Good thing that size does matter.

…….

Neve looked up at the darkened sky. She felt a pull to move from her brother's home. Something told her that she was needed. She couldn't explain the pull. All she knew was that she felt that someone needed her. Out there, her star was fading. She had to catch it before it disappeared. She started off in a brisk walk; then she steadily began to run. Her pace quickened. She continued on in the night until she reached the posts. She looked over her shoulder to her brother Franz's home, and a single tear ran down her cheek. She wasn't sure that she would make it back, but she had to find the star.

She ran off blindly and with no light to guide her, she hoped that her heart would be her pilot. Into the woods she ran, into the darkness and into uncertainty, she knew that she would find what she was looking for.

……

About 15 minutes into the descent, he saw the end of the woods; the purpose of this part of the journey was near. The headlights of his Interceptor told him so, and his eyes never lie. His fatigue was catching up to him and fast. He was two hours passed due to stop. _Only thirty minutes to go_, the tenacious Aussie thought to himself as he traveled on. His field of vision had dramatically been impaired. The moon hadn't risen in full, and the night was darker in the forest canopy. He rode on in the night, knowing that there was a safe place for him to lay his head once he emerges from the mountain. He shifted his bike to the lowest gear possible to slow him down. He had no intentions to be reckless this night. He had a strong urge to live and an even stronger urge to sleep. The adrenaline wore off rapidly. He was about to nod off…

He fought the tentacles of the darkness for far too long. His mind has started to cause him to comprehend the impossible, and desperation began to set in. His instincts to survive surpassed his logic. He pressed on.

……

Neve felt her heart sink when she saw the star laying still. It was now that she felt the pull to continue her trek. She ran though the forest and up the footpath. She made a metal note of her surrounds, hoping that she wouldn't get lost. Her dress was snagged and pulled by the low branches and twigs. She kept her eyes toward the now still star. She continued to run despite her own fatigue. Her breathing was rapid and the cold bit her lungs, her throat became dry.

……

The youth continued his ride. Blindly he made the turn around a large tree, avoiding a stag that ran across his path. He gunned it just enough to avoid hitting the large buck. He didn't see the low branch as he hit it and hard, slammed him in the chest, knocked him off the bike and onto the hardened ground. His helmet that protected his head from fatal injury had taken most of the punishment and cracked from the impact as he hit the ground head first, knocking him out. His bike continued its path until it hit a patch of brier and came to a stop and stalled itself off. The only thing that was left on was the headlamp. It was the only beacon that told anyone that there was someone there. His unconscious body lay still in the night.

……

Roesli became worried that Neve didn't return from the porch and looked out the window. She stood up from her place and walked toward the front door. Her husband, Donato, looked at his wife curiously. "What is it, darling?"

"Neve is late coming inside. I just want to check on her to make sure that she's OK," she opened the door to see her youngest daughter in the distance running blindly into the night. "NEVE!" Roesli cried out and a startled Donato soon followed his precious gem calling out for her brothers, Aidan, Franz, Theo, and the visiting Goth. The children looked on with shocked expressions which caused Heidi and Cora to usher the children away and into the nursery.

……

What seemed like an eternity of climbing, hiking and running, she finally saw the star. The bright yellow motorcycle was laying in the brier but no one was on the bike. She had never seen anything so modern close up. It looked like something that a soldier would use. Her brother Goth had read her stories about such men. She never thought that she would see one in person. She continued her search as her heart pounded in her chest when she tripped on a foot and landed on top of something warm and firm. He felt warm, and he didn't move for the young Swiss girl. He was barely breathing. She could tell he was still alive by the fog his breath was making. Small puffs of evaporation left his mask. She gasped at the sight of his covered face. He looked almost alien to her due to the face mask that he still wore that resembled a skull. It was when she looked closer that she could tell that he was human behind the goggles.

She got up from him and looked at her surroundings. She knew the situation was hopeless. She moved toward the bike, not knowing what to do; she started pressing buttons. One of those buttons went to the horn. She jumped at the loud, high-pitched tone. Then an idea struck her. She continued to press the button to get the attention of anyone that could be nearby.

This continuous and loud shrill tone eventually woke Varon up from his cold sleep. His head pounded and his eyes fluttered open. His chest ached of a dull but powerful pain that kept him from making sudden moves. He rolled to his side and got up on his hands and knees in an attempt to stop the noise. He limped forward and grabbed the girl's hands. "Stop tha' naow." His voice was rough from the hard knock of the branch and the strain of him standing - not to mention the face mask muffling his voice to near incomprehension.

She jumped what seemed like feet, as he turned off the bike and sat down hard on the ground with a groan, the black and yellow leather he wore creaked at the sudden movement. His face twisted in pain from behind his goggles and mask. She watched him carefully as he removed his helmet, goggles and face mask. His hair popped into shape giving him a hedgehog like appearance. She stared at him for a moment, trying to figure out how so much hair could fit inside such a tiny helmet in comparison.

He looked at his damaged helmet and grimaced. "Well tha's jus' great! Uh hun'ed bucks daown th' freakin' tubes," he tossed the helmet off to the side carelessly. "A' least I go' me head," he chuckled softly. "Guess it's no' a total loss." He looked up to see a curious Swiss girl look back at him, but at a distance. He smiled despite his pain.

She was surprised to see that he wasn't much older than her and he was handsome, as near as she could tell. She blushed lightly as she looked away thanked the stars that it was dark and he wouldn't see her blush. She could tell that she was going to have trouble communicating with him. She didn't understand a word of English and he didn't understand Romansh.

The young man tilted his head slightly to the side which gave him an innocent appearance, he locked baby blue eyes with the periwinkle blues of the girl. "You OK?"

She tilted her head to the side, too, not sure if he asked her a question. Still unsure if she should step closer or not, she tried to understand this stranger. She closed her eyes, wrapped her arms around her chest: a clear sign to Varon that she was cold. He moved with a groan toward his bike on his hands and knees. Now he had to worry about her safety too. "You knaow any English?" he asked out of the blue, but a valid question none-the-less as he rummaged through his saddlebags.

She tilted her head, not sure what he just asked, but recognized only one word, 'English.' She sadly shook her head.

He took note of the girl's expression, he chose not to keep silent. Talking to her may help her calm down some and himself as well. He could tell by the look in her eyes that she was scared. He continued to rummage through the saddlebags; he ignored his pain and looked for the blanket. He managed to find it and handed it to her with a smile, gesturing that she could use it.

She took the few steps that she stood away from him toward him tentatively and took the blanket from his hands with a small, sheepish smile. She didn't look into the man's eyes. She was afraid that the star brought her more than she bargained for. She took a huge risk and she decided to wait with the young man until help could arrive. She sat arms length away from him and smiled softly. The soft glow of the moonlight was all the light that was offered to them. He looked at her and smiled, thanking God internally that he was found. No telling how long he was out. He reminded himself not to take such risks again.

……

Moments had passed, and Varon was looking worse by the second. His eyes looked blank and lifeless as he fought to stay conscious. His chest hurt worse with each breath. His skin grew pale. He knew that his collarbone was broken. His heart was beating rapidly. Neve looked at him in a panic. She had no clue what to do. She screamed for help in the only language she knew the moment the young man closed his eyes and fell forward in a heap.

She tried to sit him up and smacked him lightly on the face in a feeble attempt to wake him. She wrapped the blanket around him and began to talk to him in her language. "You're the man from the star. You can't die. You won't die. You're a soldier from afar and only you can slay the dragon on this mountain." She knew that he didn't speak her language, so she felt it was safe enough to speak what she wanted to say without fear of rejection, and since there was no one else around, she took advantage of the time. She admired him, but feared him just the same. If he were to die now, she would know that he would carry her words with him to the afterlife.

……

Donato and his four sons heard the scream and ran toward the source of the sound. "Neve!" Franz called out in a panic. The others' steps grew more urgent. Neve was in trouble, and the thoughts that went through Goth's mind were anything but good. He feared the worst. The others pressed on, ignoring the shocked expression in Goth's eyes.

…….

Neve ran toward the bike and started pushing the button that went to the horn. She knew this was louder than her voice and her logic suggested that if the noise woke the man up before, it may wake him up again. No such luck this time. He laid there, unresponsive and silent. His breathing was shallow. She didn't notice the five men that reached her location. She didn't notice their calls. She was too busy pressing the button. It was Goth that stopped her. His golden eyes met the clear periwinkle of his sister's that were brimming with tears. She embraced him tightly. "It's OK, sister. We are here now," his tone soft in clear Romansh.

"This man isn't well. He's dying. He speaks English, and he's hurt," her voice was very small and quiet.

Goth's eyes widened as she pointed to the unconscious Varon. He went straightaway to the unconscious young man. He laid him down on his back gently and checked his pulse. It was weak but still steady. "He's alive, but I don't know for how long."

Aidan and Franz had set to work on bringing the bike out of the brier patch. "This isn't as heavy as it looks," Franz said to Aidan in a light tone.

"Humph, it's flashy just like the rider," Aidan interjected before Goth had a chance to explain.

Neve watched the scene unfold, clutching her hand to her heart, hoping that the 'Star Rider' was going to be alright. Since she wasn't able to see much else than the bodies moving in the dark, she had no idea what her eyes would meet in the light.

Goth wrapped the blanket tightly around the young man and picked him up like a roll of carpet. He was surprised how light the injured man was in comparison to all the leather he had on.

Goth's golden eyes searched for clues to how the young man may have gotten injured and spotted the low branch, now broken off from the tree and hanging by a few fibers, contingent to how it was possible that the rider went right through it. "He didn't see this branch in the dark and hit it and by the looks of it, pretty hard. He may have sustained a couple of broken ribs or just highly bruised. If that's the case, the longer he stays here, the likely chance that he could die out here in the cold."

Neve looked on with fear in her eyes. It was true that she saved this stranger's life. How she knew was beyond her. She was grateful to Goth for standing up to do the right thing.

"If you ask me, I think he has little to no regards to his life or his money. He takes things for granted. His bike proves it all" Aidan said as he pointed to the bright yellow bike now out of the brier and held up by Franz.

"What of it? Those may be his only belongings," Goth defended, remembering the time that he carried all that he owned during some of his trips and noting the backpack and saddlebags strapped to the bike.

Aidan huffed his response, "He got what he deserved. If the mountains want him then leave him to die! I'm telling you, he's trouble."

Donato looked at Aidan with hurt in his eyes, but his expression remained stoic. He was torn between helping this stranger who is most likely being missed by his family, his daughter who risked so much to help him, and his eldest son that didn't seem to care if the stranger lived or died. He walked toward Goth and looked at Franz, "I think we should do the right thing and help this young man. If he dies here, we will be judged by God and surely be punished for turning our backs to someone in need."

Goth snorted at the remark, but agreed that helping the youth was the right thing.

Franz looked up in near shock and nodded his head in agreement. He looked at Neve who stood there silently, but smiled that they were willing to help, at least the majority of them anyway. She gave Franz her best smile. Franz bowed his head, "Yes, we will help him."

Neve felt like a hero tonight. She not only saved her 'star', she actually felt curious about the young man. She picked up the broken helmet and cradled it like a child with a small smile.

Aidan huffed and walked away from the group, leaving Neve and the men to carry the young man and his belongings back to the cabin at the base of the mountain, clearly refused to help in any way. Theo looked from left to right, then to Aidan's disappearing form in the night. He slumped his shoulders and sighed. "Sometimes there is no reasoning with him. I suppose we should head back before it snows." The group nodded in agreement and walked off silently, leaving the scene behind and a quiet Neve followed.

Franz and Theo fashioned a field stretcher to carry the young man out of the spare blanket they found in his saddlebag and two long and sturdy branches. The each took turns to carry him down, except for Neve. She had a hard time keeping her eyes off of the young man.

……

Aidan reached the home before the others arrived. Franz's wife, Cora, and her mother-in-law stood on the porch and waited for the Aurum men to return with Neve. The women spotted Aidan in the distance as he approached the modest cabin and noticed that no one else was with him.

"What happened?" Roesli asked in a concerned tone, wondering what happened to her daughter, sons and husband.

"Nothing, woman. Neve found a tourist in the woods and now we are having to take care of it until it heals," Aidan said nothing more as he went into his brother's house and shut the door, leaving his sister-in-law and mother in the dark. Expressions of shock covered their faces.

Heidi, Aidan's wife, appeared from behind the woodshed with her eldest son, Blod, and noticed the blank expressions on her sister-in-law and mother-in-law's faces. Heidi looked to her mother-in-law with a concerned expression. "I should check on Aidan."

"Perhaps you should. I'll keep an eye on the children." Roesli closed her eyes, pushing back the hurt from her son's harsh words.

"Grazia."

Roesli followed Heidi into the house and gathered the children, leaving Cora, the lady of this homestead, on the porch to wait for her husband's return in the dark. She had a terrible feeling that an ill wind has blown in their direction this night and the less the children were involved, the better.

Roesli grabbed a book from a shelf and hurried them into the nursery. It was time to put them to bed before the Aurum men returned with the stranger.

……

It took about an hour for the group to reach the homestead. Theo was more interested in the bike than he thought he would be. Goth checked the rider now and again to make sure he was breathing. He feared that he may not make it through the night. Donato was just as concerned, even though he was extremely cautious by nature. Aidan was downright xenophobic. Donato was rather curious as to what would possess his daughter to run out into the unknown like she had tonight. He looked at her from time to time to make sure that she was still following them. These thoughts ran through his mind over and over again. He dismissed the thought that the young rider was a demon. Goth was right. He was only a child. That's what made him more sympathetic to help the young man than to leave him to die in the wilderness.

Cora ran out to greet the men, spotted Theo with a motorcycle, Goth and Donato carried a man in a field stretcher, a tired Neve lagging behind and a worried Franz kept a close eye on his youngest sister.

"Who is that?" Cora asked in a tart tone.

"Someone that needs our help" Donato replied in a soothing voice.

"Oh?" Cora twisted her face in question then saw the face of the young man, pale and still. "He's so young."

"He's dying," came Goth's reply matter-of-factually.

"Dear Lord!" Cora gasped as she grabbed her talisman and began to chant something in Latin.

Goth simply shook his head at the naivety of his family. He sighed then motioned toward the man on the stretcher and cleared his throat, his eyes cold. "We have something more important at hand. We have someone in need, and you're more interested in chanting. I need to dress his wounds so boil some water and get me some fresh bandages."

Cora looked at Neve and motioned for her. "You're going to help."

Without objection Neve followed, which took Donato by surprise. Not a sigh or a whimper escaped her, but an eager expression was there instead. Donato raised an eyebrow and smiled inwardly. _Odd… Truly odd…_

……

The storage room in the cellar was cleared out with just about enough room for the young man to sleep in. Franz found a spare cot and moved it so the rider could be moved easily. He brought down enough candles so that his only younger brother had enough light to check the extent of the stranger's injuries. Goth pulled out a pen light and checked his eyes. The pupils were dilated to the size of the iris and not responding to light, which told him immediately that he suffered a concussion. Not a good sign to start with. Goth lifted the young man bridal style onto the cot and noticed that his left arm was hanging in an awkward fashion. Franz looked on with concern as his brother set to work.

"I'm going to need some help removing his clothes," Goth stated in a detached voice. Franz and Donato looked at each other for a moment, and then Franz stepped forward.

"What do you need me to do?" Franz asked urgently.

"Grab the strongest, sharpest knife you have."

"What?!" Franz's pale hazel eyes were as wide as saucers.

"This one's clavicle is broken, and there is no way to get him out of that jacket easily without causing more damage. I don't want to risk moving him anymore than I should."

Franz sighed but agreed to do as his brother said and fetched the knife. He returned a minute later with a large hunting knife and handed it to Goth - with Franz holding the blade and the handle in Goth's hand. His younger brother set to work immediately by cutting away the insulated, leather shirt. He managed to get the jacket off with little incident and with his father's help. The jacket made the young man look broader than he actually was, which took Franz by surprise but said nothing in response.

Neve wanted to see what was going on, but she was told to stay with Cora to fetch the bandages. Internally, Neve was proud of herself, but outwardly, she worried about her 'star'. Cora watched Neve and noticed something that she saw in herself when she was Neve's age. She kept her thoughts to herself, quietly working on heating the towels and bandages.

……….

Goth and Franz managed to remove the insulated shirt by cutting it away, and his yellow undershirt was easy enough to tear. He had bruises on his shoulders, back, and upper chest. If it wasn't for the leather, his injuries would have been a whole lot worse. Setting the collarbone while the man was still unconscious proved more difficult than Goth had expected. Goth grabbed the upper arm of the man and placed one hand on the shoulder, feeling out the injury; he pulled hard on the bone, causing a loud pop to be heard. The sound could be heard in the kitchen. Neve cringed. Franz began to look pale and ill from the morbid sound as Donato's eyes grew wide. The unconscious young man was unphased as if he were one of Goth's cadavers.

"How can you do this with a straight face?" Franz asked in a wavering tone that depicted that if he saw something like that again, he wasn't going to be able to hold down his dinner.

"It takes practice," came Goth's dry reply. He put the man's arm across his chest and tied to his torso in a diagonal fashion. He created a figure eight bandage with the leftover material. He took the leather insulated shirt and tossed it off to the side. "Good thing this one is so young. It'll take about six to eight weeks for him to heal."

"That long?" came Franz's reply. "It will be winter soon. Are you sure?"

"Yes."

Standing at the top of the stairs, Neve saw the shirt, tiptoed down, and picked it up. She knew that her brother would eventually throw it away. She wanted to do something to help; so she wanted repair the shirt. She stole back up the stairs and met her mother's gaze. Roesli stared at her for a moment. She asked her youngest daughter, "What are you going to do with that?"

"Can you teach me to sew?" Neve asked in her small voice with a smile.

Her mother looked at her in clear surprise. "Again?" She smiled. "I'll be glad to teach you, and hopefully it will take this time… but sewing leather is very difficult. The material is very hard - on small needles they will bend. This isn't like mending a dress. We'll be using bone needles, which is something you've never tried before…"

Neve looked at the cut shirt sadly, plopping down onto the couch with a sigh.

"Neve, you must understand. He's a stranger here and we don't know what his true intentions are. Once he heals, he'll be on his way again. I wouldn't want you to get involved with him," Roesli gently said to her sensitive daughter in a comforting voice.

"I am involved. I found him. I saved his life," Neve's small voice was barely a whisper, not looking up to meet her mother's eyes.

"We don't know the first thing about him. Where's he from? Does he have a family? We don't even have his name."

Fighting off tears, she got up from the couch quietly and went to the porch. She looked up at the stars that often gave her comfort and sobbed in silence. She knew her mother was right, but she wanted to see him once more before they set off to go home in the morning.

Cora recognized this as pure infatuation. She approached Roesli with the warm towels in hand. "She follows her heart." With that said, she turned toward the stairs and headed to the cellar where the stranger was kept.

Goth looked up from his hands to scan the body of the young man just to make certain that he didn't miss any other injuries. The unconscious form of the young brunette before him made him question his motives to save him. He saw various scars ranging from small in size to as large as knife wounds. He shook his head and covered him up to keep him warm after he had finished the task of bandaging and stabilizing his arm. He noticed that Cora was standing behind him. In a cool voice, he responded, "This one will be fine. He has a concussion and most likely he'll wake up in pain. Be aware."

Goth stood up and left the room, leaving Cora to look at the young man. She removed the blanket and placed the warm towels over his body and placed the covers over him once more. _Well, I see why Neve is taken with him. He's cute._ She looked around her to see if anyone had seen her blush. She mentally scolded herself for having such an unfaithful thought. She left the room in a hurry and tended to her own duties.

……

During the early hours, Varon woke up in unbearable pain and hissed. His shoulder throbbed, but this pain wasn't unfamiliar to him. His eyes fluttered open, and he found himself in a strange place, surrounded by foreign yet homeyness. The only light that could be seen was the moonlight shining in through the cellar window of the small room. Its silvery light illuminated jars of pickling vegetables and animal parts, wheels of cheese, assorted sized boxes, and lumpy-shaped packages. There were large burlap bags nestled next to two wood barrels, and in the corner was a pile of discarded empty beer bottles.

Varon winced. His arm was immobilized and bandaged. His shirt was removed, and his jacket was folded and placed neatly at the foot of the cot. His boots were removed and lay on the floor by the stairs. His head ached, but nothing that he hadn't felt before. He knew he had been in an accident, but he could not recall what had hit him.

He took his right hand and wrapped the blanket around himself as he sat up. The room was colder without the blanket. His taunt abs allowed him to move easily, but the trouble was he was sore there, too. His body ached - everywhere. He groaned as he plopped his head down on the pillows, not able to get up due to the pain. He lolled his head to the side and closed his eyes. His mouth was dry, and he wanted something to drink.

Neve couldn't sleep. She turned her head as her eyes glanced at the cracked, orange helmet with what she could tell was a picture of a giant mouse with a thick tail and strong legs. She couldn't read the words painted on the side under the creature. She got up from her tiny bed and stumbled down the hall. She heard some noises coming from the stairs that led to the cellar, and she became frightened. Has the stranger woken up? Her thoughts rang in her head as if stating that the stranger needed her help. She pushed back her fears, grabbed a candle, lit it, and walked slowly through the kitchen and gingerly down the stairs.

Varon saw a faint light growing brighter as his eyes focused. He thought that he was being quiet, but he didn't know that the there was one girl that couldn't sleep from worry and excitement. His eyes widened, and he gasped quietly when he saw the face of the familiar girl in the candlelight. She was dressed in a long gown that tied at the neck.

She gasped quietly, too, her own eyes widened. She couldn't stop staring at the one she found. He was cleaned up and bandaged, and his free arm was heavily muscled. She couldn't see much else. He tried to stand to greet the girl, only to stumble down again. He looked up at her with a sheepish smile and motioned with his free hand that he needed a drink - mimicking holding a cup and taking a drink.

She smiled warmly and obliged. She returned to him with a cup of water in a hand blown glass cup and smiled. She knew Franz was too soft-hearted to get upset at her for utilizing a rare and expensive possession. Taking the cup, Varon drank the clear, refreshing liquid eagerly. She watched as he drank, thankful that she understood what he meant. With a smile, he returned the cup to her and moved to stand up from the cot slowly. He groaned but managed to stand up without help. He stood as tall as she was at five foot six inches. She grimaced inwardly that the man before her wasn't taller than herself.

She envisioned a tall, strong, and handsome man who could lift her up and carry her up the petal-strewn hill on her wedding day. She smiled sheepishly as he looked at her. He simply nodded his head with a smile and stumbled up the stairs to take a look at his surroundings. If he was going to be here, he might as well get used to his environment. She followed him, just to make sure that he doesn't fall.

……

The following morning, three of the Aurum women made breakfast for the family. Cora made the main course, Heidi made the muffins, and Roesli made the waffles.

Goth was the first to rise of the Aurum men, and after his morning routine of hygienic maintenance and yoga stretches, he went straightaway to the injured motorcycle rider. He was surprised to see that the young man was up and writing something in a notebook. Goth's golden eyes watched as the pen sailed across the paper with ease. "Good morning," he said in clear English.

Startled, Varon looked up from his writing and nearly dropped his pen. "Mo'nin'"

"How are you feeling?"

Varon didn't know whether to laugh or to cry. "A moite so'e, an' very hungry, an' grateful t' be aloive," Varon sighed, "Naow if I could rememb'a wha' happened, I would be able t' wroite this aout." He looked up from his notepad with a smile.

Goth was surprised to see this young man smile after something so devastating happened to him. He figured that he would be laying in bed, groaning in pain, instead, he saw this guy smiling, writing, and acting as if nothing happened. He found this man… intriguing? No, he thought, more akin to optimistic… or more appropriately, insane. Skipping all pretenses as usual, he asked pointedly, "What were you doing out there? What brings you to such a remote location?"

"I think an introduction is in o'd'a, wouldn't ya agree? I don't answ'a questions t' people tha' I don' knaow," Varon tilted his head and raised an eyebrow and a smirk, "You' no' a cop, a'e ya?"

Goth raised an eyebrow in response, mentally dismissing his own attempts to understand this erratic, wild - yet despite his injuries - happy youth. Bluntly, he answered, "I'm not a cop. I'm a physical anthropologist. My name is Dr. Goth Aurum, and you are?"

"Varon!" the youth responded brightly, holding out his hand in a gesture of greeting.

Goth took his hand firmly, shook it, and removed his hand. "You're certainly in good spirits to be the one who is injured, but you still didn't answer my questions. What brings you here to such a remote location, and what is your purpose here? I must warn you that most people are xenophobic around here. Strangers are not unwelcome, though, just…" he searched his vocabulary for the right word, "uncommon. You don't know how unusual it is for a Swiss to invite a foreigner into their home."

"Oh. . . I'm he'e lookin' fo' me roots. Ya knaow, whe'a I came from," came Varon's honest reply.

Goth took a mental note of the lack of hesitation in Varon's response, remembering his psychologist telling him that this was an indication of truth. He shook the thought out of his head. Psychology is such a soft science, he thought, but he was curious and continued questioning Varon, "How is it you do not know of your roots?" He's met a lot of people in his travels, but never anyone like Varon.

Varon's baby blue eyes seemed to have taken on a sad sheen. He closed them slowly, gathered his thoughts before he answered. "I have no home. I have no family woaitin' fo' me. I was o'phan'd fo' as long as I can rememb'a," his voice sounded sad. "No worries, mate. I ge' by on me own. I lasted this long, perhaps I can last a li'l long'a. Wouldn't ya agree?" Varon smiled.

"Perhaps." Goth moved toward the cot, sitting down at the foot next to Varon. "How did one manage to acquire so many scars for one so young?" He knew what objects caused them, but he felt it was still better to obtain the story to fit the facts. "It may be none of my business, so please tell me so if I offend in my questions."

Varon chuckled sadly, lowered his head. He was not avoiding the question but was not up to answering them all at the same time. He lifted his head and turned his face toward Goth slowly, his eyes took on a darker sheen, but retained the life that the scientist saw once before. "I guess the'a's no snow growin' on you' head, now. Yea, I'll tell ya. I gotta face it anyway," he replied softly. He took a deep breath and sorted out his thoughts, recalling the awful memories. "I wasn' wha' one would take home t' visit mum o' pop. These sca's a'e a constant remoind'a of the loife tha' I once had. I hated meself an' I was reckless. So instead a takin' aout my frustrations by cutting' meself, I took on risky deeds an' hoped tha' I would die. This way, I felt loike I was doin' something. I had nothing t' lose. The people I ca'ed aba', the people tha' took ca'e o' me, those tha' I loiked an' loved loike family, doied 'cause of me, so I figu'ed tha' it would be less poainless if I died doin' something rath'a than pullin' th' trigg'a meself an' be done with it all. Eitha woay, it's suicide. It's me moind tha' the'as a difference between livin' doay by doay ta see wha' tomorra brings, tha' livin' jus' to see if I wake up."

Varon continued as he felt the pull. No one ever took the time to listen to his story, and he was grateful at the chance to get this burden off his chest. He smiled genuinely then the smile fell as he talked, "If ya knew me then, you would see the difference. I wanna live naow. I wanna foind me roots so I feel loike I have a pu'pose again an' a ploace in this wo'ld." Tears began to pool in the baby blue eyes and they began to shimmer. "I don't wanna go und'a, mate. I want a new pu'pose in me loife. I want a family t' caome hoame to. I want wha' I missed all me loife, an' I'm willin' t' travel th' wo'ld t' foind it," he squeezed his eyes closed, the tears streamed down his cheeks.

Goth observed Varon, recognizing the familiar tenacity. "Most people in your position have killed themselves for far less. I have a feeling that you are much stronger than you give yourself credit for. You have a rare strength within that most men fear to gain. You achieved this at such a young age; you fear nothing. It's not suicidal - just… misunderstood."

"Yeah?" It was Varon's turn to question the man next to him. "Haow would'ya knaow aba' fear? I fought all me loife t' protect wha' I held de'a an' t' have it all ripped away in a flash. I've been loied to, pushed daown an' kicked an', taold tha' I would be nothing mo'e than a thug, an' I have nothing t' show me effo'ts. I believed this until naow." Varon stood up with a groan and grabbed his note pad from a crate that acted as a nightstand. He placed it on his lap and opened the cover once he sat down.

"This is a jou'nal of me travels. I kept tabs of everything tha' I saw, and sketched significant ploaces tha' held some impo'tance t' me," Varon then handed the spiral notebook to Goth. "Go on, toake a gand'a."

Goth read through some of the pages and studied the sketches of some of the others. "This is a pretty detailed log. How long have you been searching?"

Varon beamed a smile. "Two yea's, mate."

Goth's eyes stopped at a passage and began to read it carefully. His eyes widened slightly when he came across a name that sounded familiar to him. "You met the Baron Christopher von Bruer?"

Varon let out a loud exclamation. "Ha! Met him is an undastoatement! I took a bullet fo' his son. I was recoverin' the'a for a stint an' I moved on. He gave me some money an' his eternal thanks. He still sends me wha' I needed, bu' I don't toake advantage. He asked me aba' me travels, bu' as fa' as he knows, I'm lookin' fo' me fath'a. Tha's no' fa' from th' truth eith'a. I've been t' Scotland, England, Germany, France, Croatia, Italy, an' Spain. I sta'ted th' jou'ney in Ireland an' just fallowed clues from th' lett'a tha' was left in me pram. I looked up th' noame o' me mum an' went from the'a. I didn't foind much, but it's an adventu'a."

Neve searched Franz's cabin for her youngest elder brother to fetch him for breakfast, and she was surprised to see that he was carrying a conversation with the stranger in the cellar. She finally saw what the night had hidden: the stranger was beautiful. His eyes were wide, blue, and clear. His upper chest was covered in bandages, but she did see that he was very muscular in an athlete's frame. She saw the scars that weren't covered with wrappings. The only thing that made him appear taller was his hair. It stood up on all ends, and the brunette locks were thick. She hadn't realized that she was staring until she heard Goth clear his throat.

Varon look at what Goth was clearing his throat for and was staring at his savior in return. She stood his height, long, thick blonde hair traveled down her back and ended just at the curve at the base of her spine. Her eyes were clear, periwinkle blue, and paler than his by a margin. Her lithe form was hidden behind a traditional long dress that buttoned at the neck, long sleeves covered her arms, and the length of the skirt decorated in Swiss dots covered her legs. She wasn't busty, but she did have a good figure. She had the purest beauty that Varon has ever seen.

Goth looked at Varon, "This is my younger sister, Neve."

"Neh…veh…" he sounded out aloud. "Neve. Tha's a pretty noame," Varon responded dreamily, not taking his eyes off of the girl.

"Varon…" Goth said warningly, alarmed with the direction the conversation was turning. He locked eyes sternly with Neve and said matter-of-factually in Romansh, "He's not going to stay once he heals. He has something that he's searching for, and we will not keep him from his duties."

Neve's expression was that of sudden surprise; the words shook her out of her musings. She nodded her head slightly and left the room without reply.

Varon then felt that it wasn't his place to ask, so he kept quiet. With a sigh, he put the notebook back on the crate in front of the small, kerosene lamp as he got up from the cot and started to get dressed.

……

The discussion at the breakfast table was hushed suddenly when the stranger came up the stairs to join them. He sat at the empty chair and said nothing. The children looked at him with curiosity and wonder, the women chose not to look at him, except for Neve and her niece, Hiordi, who was eleven. The two sons of Aidan looked at the guest with wonder. Franz's toddler son hid behind his mother's skirt, peeking every now and then to look at the stranger with the weird hair. Varon was wearing a loose fitting shirt with one sleeve unfilled with an arm and buttoned up, save the top button at the neck.

"What happened to his arm?" Drostan asked in Romansh, not caring if the stranger knew the language or not as he took a big bite of his muffin.

"He broke his collarbone. Once he's healed, he'll be on his way," Goth said in a distinct tone of finality; he neglected to offer further information. The less the others know, the better off Neve would be.

Roesli made Varon a plate and placed it front of him; with a smile, Varon thanked the aging woman. He was feeling slightly uncomfortable, mostly because of the language barrier. Since Goth knew English, he leaned over and whispered, "Haow do I say 'Thank you' in you' language?"

"Grazia," came Goth's reply.

"Ahh," Varon looked to Roesli and said clearly, "Grazia" with a broad smile hiding his embarrassment.

Roesli smiled in response but said nothing. She continued to eat her meal in silence. Donato looked at the young man, surprised that he was up and moving after such an ordeal, and glad internally that he made it through the night. Aidan snorted at the sight of Varon, his wife, Heidi, was grateful he survived but dared not lift her eyes to look at the young man. Blod didn't say anything, but glanced up once in a while, gauging the guest. Theo and his family tried to pretend he wasn't there, mostly to keep on Aiden's good graces.

Varon simply ate his meal with some difficulty since he had only use of one of his hands, but he was grateful for what he was able to get on his own. He didn't ask for help, nor did he complain. Donato was especially pleased with this. Perhaps he's not looking for sympathy like Aidan had assumed.

Donato looked at his youngest son, Goth, who was the last one with the young man, and asked in Romansh, "Did you have to help him?"

"No. He dressed himself," Goth didn't look up from his plate as he spoke.

"Really? Hmm, interesting..." Donato was always impressed with city-folk who could do hard work and labor through pain. He only related to people like himself, after all. "I would figure that one who had such flashy things would whine and complain. Such is the way city-folk are… Is he taking medicine for the pain?"

"Just the aspirin, nothing more," Goth replied, noncommittal.

Neve looked up from her plate when she heard this and her eyes shot wide open. She was concerned, but also intrigued. He_ is_ a soldier. He had to be.

……

It was noon, the sun was high, the clouds were off on the distant horizon, and the small fields were beckoning. Varon wanted to be out in it. He saw the children playing in the small clearing. He saw the pristine setting of the foot of the mountain and the valley that stretched from one tall, majestic range to the other. He had learned that this large family didn't all live in Franz's small, humble cabin at the foot of the mountain, but that the main family farm was high up in the mountain, not too far from where he had crashed his bike. Many of Donato's children had married and moved out, but Aidan, his eldest son, and Theo, his third son, still lived with their mother and father. He also learned from Franz, who apparently knew more English than he let on, that he and his wife, Cora, were allowing Neve to stay with them over the winter. Neve usually lived at her father's house. Varon hadn't the chance to visit Donato's small farm, but he would bet that it was just as nice as Franz's place.

He leaned on the rough wooden rail, lazily allowing his good arm to hang on the wood, watching blissfully at the playing children. He wished that he had days like that when he was their age. Most of his childhood was spent trying to survive in a world that didn't want him. Here he felt something that he hadn't felt in a long time, he felt like he belonged here. Again, the back of his mind told him that it wouldn't last. He frowned slightly at his logic. "Ah t' hell with it all."

He picked himself up off the wood and walked towards the barn. His head still hurt, his muscles still ached, but he could not lay in bed. He was not about to become idle. He saw his bike was scratched up, and twigs were stuck into places. He chuckled softly at the pathetic sight. "Glory, looks loike I gotta clean ya up." He set to work picking out the twigs and looked for underlying damage.

Neve looked around the field to see if she could spot her soldier from the window. She had the cut up leather shirt in her hands, and she began to get to work sewing the pieces back together. She was glad for once that they didn't leave her brother's small farm in the foot of the mountain. She didn't see her soldier, but she knew he was still there. She threaded the needle with the black thread and pinned the pieces together. Working with the awkward bone needle was difficult, but she wasn't about to let her mother tell her that she couldn't manage. She was determined to fix the shirt. The material was harder than she thought initially, but she continued to work. She was only able to get part of the sleeve together, but not much more than three inches before both her wrists started to hurt and was forced to stop.

Franz and Cora watched as their toddler son was playing with a kitten in the field. His bundled up form made him waddle more than normal. The toddler squealed loudly in delight, which caught Varon's attention from his work of removing the saddlebags and backpack from the bike. He knew that he would have to make a few trips, but getting them off was proving to be more difficult than he imagined. With a little ingenuity, a little patience, and muscle he managed to work his belongings free. He smiled at the waddling toddler, hefting the large backpack over his shoulder. Then, he set out to leave the barn for the moment to drop off his things in the small makeshift bedroom in the cellar.

He noticed Cora and Franz talking on the porch in a hushed tone as he quietly walked by. With Cora's concerned expression and Franz's apologetic smile, he knew deep inside that the discussion was about him - but said nothing. His only concern was to get his things inside before the elements, small animals, and little hands took off or destroyed all that he had left. He nodded to the pair as he went inside.

Roesli and Donato were in a discussion in the kitchen when Varon walked in. Donato stopped Varon and motioned Varon to come to toward him. He did so without question but felt a bit leery at the gesture. "Yessir?"

Donato's eyes gave a softness that depicted a question that wasn't easy for him to ask. "Goth tells me that you don't have a home or a family. Is this true?"

Varon didn't look away, but his eyes gave away the hurt that something so important was given away so easily. "Yessir."

"Franz and I discussed earlier that you will be staying here until you are well. I will come to check on you from time to time. How old are you, boy?"

"Seventeen, sir," Varon responded softly

"Then you are man by all standards. Do you have a skill?"

"I can fix things, an' I can hunt an' trap. Tha's haow I su'vo'ived," Varon relied quietly but confidently.

"Have you worked a farm?" Donato asked seriously.

Varon beamed and puffed up his chest with pride, "Yessir, I su'e did. In Austrailia, I was a jackaroo at one o' th' stoations tha' I wo'ked fo' a stint. Good ha'd wo'k an' well wo'th the effo'ts."

Donato raised his eyebrow at the strange terms that Varon used. His own understanding of English was limited as it was. Roesli was totally lost, her face frozen in furrow.

Varon noted the confused expressions of the pair and chuckled softly. "Sorry, mate. I ge' too excoited fo' me aown good," he cleared his throat to reiterate what he was saying in plain English, "I was a fa'm hand fo' a li'l whoile."

Pleased with this bit of news, and that their guest wasn't afraid of hard work, Donato smiled. "If that is the truth, you will do good here."

Varon smiled and lifted his pack, "Thanks, mate."

Donato noticed that Varon was having a little trouble with his things, he decided that he would test the waters some. "Do you need help?"

Varon looked over his shoulder and stopped to look at the aging man with a smile. "Nah, I go' it." He winked and went about his tasks.

……

Goth met up with Varon before dinner while he was busy rearranging some things to accommodate what he had brought with him. He changed from the loose fitting button-up to a loose fitting yellow hoodie with a dragon on the front. Not only was the hoodie sturdier than the cotton shirt, he didn't mind much if this one got dirty.

"I see you managed to make yourself at home. How are you feeling?" Goth said with an attempted smile.

"Great! Hey, I gotta thank ya," Varon said with a smile still working busily.

Goth blinked. "For what?"

"Fo' telling you' pops aba' me," Varon turned to face Goth, his eyes taking on a hard look. "Naow I'm gonna feel guilty when it comes toime fo' me t' gao."

"I don't see what the fuss is about, but I'll take your word for it." Goth's eyes traveled around the tiny room with detached emotions. He showed no change in expression, but nevertheless took a risk asking Varon a more personal question, "But tell me, would you leave? If you had the choice, would you leave?"

Varon stopped what he was doing at the moment, looked at Goth and sighed, "I dunno."

"Give yourself some time," with that said, Goth turned around and walked up the stairs, leaving a dumbfounded Varon staring at the retreating form of Goth and the only man that he felt close to here in a place that seemed too innocent for the likes of him.

Varon felt so dirty and unworthy of these people. For the first time in his life, he was genuinely confused. Neve was the last person he wanted to see at this moment. He was angry at himself for letting his guard down so soon, and he was angry that he got injured for his carelessness. He wondered if he was ever going to find what he was looking for, and he was getting frustrated.

He had no option to open the window, and he had even less room to move. He rummaged through one of his saddlebags and found his MP3 player nestled in his shirts. Putting in the earbuds, he turned on the thin device and tuned out the world.

……

Three weeks later, the sun was setting beneath a layer of clouds, casting golden light upon the underside of the fluffy white. The Alps were frosted in snow, the glaciers were as impressive as ever, and the winter weather had stopped to allow for a rare day of outside activity. Donato, Roesli, and Aidan and his family had returned to the main family farm high up on the mountain, and most of the other guests had left to their respective homesteads to survive the harsh winter. It was dinner time at Franz's cabin, and Varon hadn't joined them. Franz and Cora seemed genuinely concerned, and Theo, who had been kicked out of the main house by Aidan again, joined his youngest brother, Goth, in search of their foreign guest. Goth spotted a small light in the barn, and the clanking of metal could be heard. _Varon,_ he thought to himself, _what the hell are you doing now?_ Theo seemed a bit puzzled when he saw the young man working on his motorcycle in the dark with only a small flashlight to help him. Steam escaped his body as he worked on the motorcycle in the cold.

Theo thought that he was a tenacious guy that wanted to get away. He had a hard time understanding his English, but he did understand his frustrations. "I'll try to talk to him," he said. Franz joined his two brothers at Goth's side.

"You don't know the first thing about that guy. He's brash, blunt, rude and has no sense worth salt," Goth grabbed Theo's arm to keep him from the same fate that Goth suffered not long before. "If he hits you, don't say I didn't warn you. He's a lot stronger than he looks."

Chuckling softly and sounding like a mother hen, Franz said carefully, "That's because you confronted him when you found out that he was talking to Neve alone." Franz was the only one who could talk to Goth without sounding confrontational. "I see that they are just fine without intervention. She's taken a liking to him, and I'm sorry you don't like that."

"That's not it. She doesn't need to be around a man that has no real purpose in his life. She deserves better," Goth said flatly.

"I think she's found her man, and he's not what you wanted. This is her life, not yours," Theo said coolly, sounding awfully like Aidan, which only put Goth in a foul mood.

"Enough." He said sharply and brushed by his older brothers to reason with the Aussie.

Varon was putting the final touches on his bike, his arm is able to move more freely, but he still had a while to go before he would be completely healed. He wiped his hands as he stood up. Without looking over his shoulder at Goth or the others, he sighed, "Hello. I suppose tha' I'm gonna ge' a lectu'a as to whoy I didn't shaow fo' dinn'a yet?"

"The thought has crossed our minds," Theo said as he folded his arms, again mirroring Aidan's mannerisms. "What's the matter with you? Normally you would be chipper, but now you're so grumpy,"

"I agree. You're much livelier than this," Franz said apologetically, trying to be peaceful.

"Heh, yea. Loivley. Ya mean annoyin' is mo'e loike it," Varon turned around, keeping his chin down but his eyes fixed ahead at the three men. "Don't think tha' I don't und'astand when you blokes talk. I get the idea tha' ya don't want me araound."

"That's not true!" Franz said in his defense. "The children find you funny, even if they can't understand what you are saying,"

Varon lifted his hand and stopped the tall blonde from talking. "Tha's no' wha' I'm ge'in' at. Everything I did he'a so far isn' up t' you' standa'ds. I troy an' I give it me all, but' it's nev'a good enough. Goth even said it himself tha' I'll nev'a win Ne-" he raised his hand fast to stop himself from saying anymore with his eyes wide open, suddenly embarrassed that he was worked up over a girl than over the situation.

Theo and Franz looked at each other, then back to Varon. Theo laughed and Franz smiled sheepishly before he slowly turns away, returning to the house together with Theo.

Varon dropped his hand and glared at Goth, "So you' he'a t' laugh too?"

Not amused, Goth replied firmly, "Not at all. I just want to know what made you change your mind to stay… and now I know. You don't seem the type to run."

Goth was about to turn around when Varon grabbed him by the shoulder and spun him around, bright, baby blue eyes locked with golden orbs, his voice in a dangerous whisper as he stood toe to toe with the taller Goth, which forced Varon to look up, "You set me up."

"It was your heart and hers that betrayed the both of you. Admit it, and you'll be set free. Deny it, and you'll be damned - both of you. If she chooses you, how are you going to support her? How are you going to keep her safe? How are you going to provide her needs? I see that you can handle yourself well enough, but you have nothing to your name." Goth stoically responded.

"Uh..." Varon was left speechless. His eyes still locked with Goth's, but he would be damned for certain if looked away and admitted defeat. "I'll figu'a something aout. I'll wo'k on me education fi'st. Then I'll ge' me a job an' a good one then we can' ge' married. All I asked fo' is a chance t' cou't he'. A chance so she can see me an' decoide fo' he'self. I jus' want he' t' be happy. Tha's all I want."

"Then you and I have the same idea," Goth replied with a genuine smile. "I'm glad that you have some goals. Now let's get you inside and get you something to eat," Goth placed his arm around the smaller man's shoulders, which caused Varon to become confused.

"So this was all a test?" Varon inquired.

"I'll neither confirm, nor deny," Goth replied dryly.

"Basta'd," Varon laughed.

Nine weeks later the spell of winter broke, and the fraction of the Aurum family staying at Franz's had survived the bleak season. Franz never complained once that he had extra mouths to feed, and he was happy for the extra help from Varon, Goth, and surprisingly, Neve who hardly contributed until the stranger showed up. Theo was allowed to return home less than a week after he had been kicked out, for Donato had reasserted his place as head of the house. Neve had left when the worst of the winter storms were over.

Varon paced his small room, wearing clothes more indigenous to the folks of the town and surrounding farms; his hair still unmanagable and wild, but no longer than the length he had since he arrived. His collarbone had completely healed, and his strength was returning fast. Today was the only day that he had nothing to do. The Spring Festival was approaching, and he thought the worst. He would lose Neve forever if he didn't go. He would have her if he did go. He still had his personal quest to fulfill, and he was at a crossroads. Go to the festival and leave behind the life that he once had, or continue his journey and lose the only chance he had at happiness. He started learning Romansh and was learning the language quickly. He had a vocabulary of over 550 words and counting. He spoke Japanese fluently, but learning Romansh was far easier to learn even if he hadn't attained fluency - yet.

He sat on the edge of his bed and put his head in his hands. He had never felt so torn. He had fallen in love, and he couldn't bring himself to tell her each time he was able to see her. For someone as outspoken as himself, he sure was about as shy as Neve when it came to admitting his feelings towards her.

In Romansh, he tried to recite the poem that Franz wrote for his wife at the festival where they had met and had married the next day. He had to concentrate on the words and recite them carefully, so he closed his eyes and began to recite it out loud.

...

Neve had finally repaired the leather shirt that she acquired the day that Varon came to their humble farmstead. She was quite proud that she finished the one task that her mother said would be impossible for her to finish. She looked at the helmet that Varon wore when she found him. She ran her finger along the brim and smiled. She placed the leather shirt in the burlap bag with a daisy she embroidered on the front. She decided that today would be the day she would tell her 'Star Rider' how she felt about him. With excitement in her heart, she bounded to her mother and her heart soared when she was told that they were going to visit Franz. She practically ran to the truck, leaving her mother and father to look at each other with odd expressions.

Neve had a bag in her hands and walked up to the front porch of her brother's home. She knocked on the door quietly and Cora was the one that answered the door. Franz greeted his youngest sister with a hug and a smile. Neve smiled in return. She looked around and noticed that Varon wasn't in sight and felt crestfallen. She hoped that she would get the chance to see him, even thought it was a brief chance, but a chance nonetheless. She wanted to tell him that she wanted him to stay.

Varon heard the front door open. He opened his eyes and peeked out from the curtain that covered the window to his tiny room. His eyes widened and his heart fluttered when he saw the truck. He smiled and looked around the tiny room for the gift that he carved for her should she return. He finally found it and nearly ran up the stairs and through the house. "Neve!"

Neve looked up and around her shoulder. She beamed the brightest smile she could give and a blush touched her cheeks. Cora gave Varon a chastising look as Franz chuckled. Clavo laughed at the sight of Varon panting breathlessly. He held the carving behind his back and in the best Romansh he could conjure, he began to speak, "I made this for you out of the branch of the tree that struck me down just as you struck my heart and made me whole. I hope that you will accept this gift as I have accepted your courage and light that led me home."

Neve looked at the gift that Varon revealed from behind his back and smiled as tears welled in her eyes. "So this means that you're staying?"

Varon nodded his head and looked to Franz and Cora, "If they can handle me for a while longer until I can build our home."

Neve flew into Varon's arms and laughed, "I'm so happy."

Varon looked shocked from the sudden actions of Neve, not denying that he felt the same way, he held her in a soft embrace, "Me too."

It was Cora that cleared her throat this time and reminded Neve of the bag that she brought by holding it up. "Did you have something that you wanted to give to Varon, Neve?"

A blush touched the girl's cheek that she had nearly forgotten. She reached for the bag, giggling, "Varon, could you please close your eyes? I have a present for you."

Varon blinked and smiled as he obliged, "Okay."

Neve pulled out the leather shirt that took her six weeks to repair and three bone needles, blisters and sore wrists later. She blushed, "You can open your eyes now."

The moment Varon opened his eyes, he saw the leather shirt that he often wondered what had happened to it, smiled and hugged Neve for the gift, "You fixed it." He inspected the stitches and noticed that it wasn't exactly straight, but he was thankful that she took the time to repair the otherwise unrepairable shirt.

It was that moment that Roesli entered the house with Donato and smiled at Varon. "She wouldn't stop trying until that shirt was fixed. She did it for you."

Varon took Neve's hand and smiled at Roesli and then to Neve, "It's the best gift that I could ever receive," he said in clear Romansh.

"Ahh, you _have _improved," Roesli smiled. "So what is your decision, young man?"

"I'll go to the festival. After all, there is nothing out there for me that I can't find here," Varon responded brightly.

Franz patted Varon on the back and smiled, "You're always welcome here, brother."

Varon looked up at the taller blonde and smiled, "Grazia!"

Clavo pulled on Varon's sleeve, getting the attention of the brunette, giggling when Varon's eyes looked at the toddler, "Hey you!" He lifted the squealing toddler and twirled him around making an airplane sound.

The sounds of laughter filled to small foothill cottage and happiness filled the heart of a man that once had forgotten what it felt like to belong. Casting his past behind him, he made the decision to stay with the woman that saved his life and the family that called him one of their own. For the first time in his life since Doma, he found his home. He found his family. He found his purpose and to show for it all, he has a bright and eager future ahead with Neve and the Aurum family. He found love with Neve, the girl that saved his life.

Fin

I generally put the disclaimer at the top of the story, but this time it's on the bottom. I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! or any of the characters. The Aurum family belongs to Pearl of the Dark Age and they are part of a fictitious world that she has created for her original fiction. I don't own Honda, but I own a Honda. The motorcycle model is an actual model and it's the model that Varon used in Doma.

I hope that you have enjoyed this one-shot. I don't think that I'll be writing much after this due to personal issues. I'll try to get more works out as soon as I can, but I make no promises.

Special thanks goes to Pearl of the Dark Age for allowing me to use her characters that she has developed for her own original fic and also for betaing this fanfic. The Aurum family are hers totally. I would also like to thank the players of the YugiohRP3 Role playing community on Live Journal for allowing me to develop Varon and inspired me to write this epic one-shot. As you can see, I used the heavy Australian dialect of Varon. I had a lot of practice in the community. I would have made it longer, but that would be a chappy, and I don't have the time for one.

Special thanks also goes to those that read and reviewed my previous fanfics as well as this one. Without the fans and readers, there isn't much of a fandom.

Many thanks.

Silverfox Ninja


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